MARTIN O’NEILL is weighing up a £10million offer for West Ham talisman Scott Parker as a potential replacement for James Milner.

Villa are braced for an improved offer from Manchester City of about £25m for Milner, 24, and are still unhappy with the FA for allowing him to discuss his future while at the England training camp in Austria last week.

The club have complained about England not censoring Milner during the build-up to last night’s friendly against Mexico.

But they are also making contingency plans should they fail in their attempts to keep him at Villa Park and Parker is high on a list of possible replacements.

Parker kept the Hammers in the Premier League almost single-handedly towards the end of last season.

And the supporters’ player of the year was the only member of Gianfranco Zola’s squad who was not put up for sale by David Sullivan when the owner revealed his intentions for a mass clear-out this summer. Parker has three years remaining on his contract and Avram Grant, expected to sign up as manager this week, will be hoping to hold on to the club’s best players.

But if Villa bank a substantial sum from the possible sale of Milner, O’Neill will have a significant transfer chest to make a tempting offer for Parker.

Parker, who has played for Charlton, Chelsea and Newcastle, is rated at £12m and the only drawback from Villa’s point of view is that he is in his late twenties. O’Neill usually prefers to sign younger players with greater sell-on potential, which is why the manager is also monitoring several other midfield targets.

But Villa are not yet resigned to losing Milner and plan fresh talks with the England utility man before next month’s World Cup finals.

O’Neill, chairman Randy Lerner and chief executive Paul Faulkner are sticking by their position that the former Leeds and Newcastle winger is not for sale and intend to meet with Milner and his representatives after the friendly against Japan on Sunday.

And Villa are hoping for assurances from Milner and his representatives that he will sign a bumper new contract worth around £80,000 a week after the World Cup.

But City are set to test Villa’s resolve to keep the PFA Young Player of the Season at Villa by lodging an improved bid for Milner in the next few days.

High-ranking officials at Eastlands have been briefing people over their next step, which is suggested to be a bid of £25m and a choice of players surplus to requirements.

Stephen Ireland has been suggested as a possible make-weight, as have Shaun Wright-Phillips, Micah Richards and Nedum Onuoha.

Villa are still interested in signing Robbie Keane but are unlikely to pay the £15m fee.

O’Neill needs to boost Villa’s forward line and is a long-term admirer of the experienced Tottenham and Republic of Ireland striker.

But he is reluctant to break Villa’s transfer record for a player who turns 30 in July and any offer will be nearer the £10m mark. ‘They are making contingency plans in case they lose Milner’